Part locating means for piercing operations



Oct. 29, 1963 D. A. WARDEN 3,108,508

PART LocATING MEANS FOR PIERCING OPERATIONS v Filed May 16, 1960 2 sheets-sheet 1 'SY/@7g KM ATTORNEY Oct. 29, 1963 D. A. WARDEN PART LocA'rING MEANS FOR PIERCING OPERATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1960 INVENTOR. DONALD AWAR DEN BY /zazLM/C ATTORNEY United States Patent O Calculating Machine Company, Orange, NJ., a corporation 0i Delaware Fired May 16, 1960, ser. Ne. 29,423 7 Creams. (ci. ss--m This invention relates to pierce dies and more particularly to such a die which includes a nest #for locating a particular part for piercing a hole at 'a proper location.

In usual practice, la die with an individual nest is furnished for each d-iierent part .to be pierced. This is neoessary because the nest must be tailored to the contour of the particular part so that each like part will be identically located for piercing `the hole at the proper location.

It is accordingly the primary object of the invention to provide a single die which may be adapted -for the piercing of a number of differently contoured parts.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a pierce `die including a nest which is adjustable to the contours of la number of different parts to be pierced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pierce die having a nest which may be adjusted to `compensate for wear.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide a pierce die including a plurality of nest forming members which may be adjusted to ,form a nest for any one of a number of different parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to 4the accompanying `drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a punch pres-s embodying the pierce die of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top elevation of the pierce die.

FIG. 3 is :a sectional perspective view of the pierce die.

The pierce 4die comprises a cross-shaped `die plate 1 which is bolted to a base plate 2 on a punch press P of conventional design shown by the dot-dash lines of FIG. l. A die `bushing 3 (FIG. 3) is secured in well-known manner in substantially the center of die plate 1 and is in Vertical alignment with a punch 4 of the punch press P. Bushing 3 is removably mounted in plate 1 so that it may be replaced by bushings of other sizes [for use in the other size punches. However, the means whereby the bushing is removably mounted is not concerned with the present invention.

Upon each of the arms of die plate 1 is a group of nest lforming slides 5. Slides 5 of each group are in longitudinal engagement and extend inwardly toward the center of plate 1 from the outer edge of the arm of the plate on which they larem'ounted. A retaining plate 6 extends transversely above each -group of slides 5 and .at its opposite ends is spaced from die plate 1 by spacing plates 7 and 8 respectively. Retaining plates 6 'and spacing plates 7 and 8 are secured to die plate 1 :by suitable bolts 9; retaining plates 6 being suiiiciently raised by spacing plates 7, S to permit free inward and outward movement of slides 5.

Positioned on plate y'1 at one side of each group of slides 5 and in parallel relation therewith is a pinch plate 101. The outer and inner ends of each plate 10 have upwardly turned ears adapted to engage respectively `the outer and inner edges of the associated retaining plate 6. Plates 10, therefore, are restrained from longitudinal movement.

Between each pinch plate 1t) and spacing plate 7 is a wedge plate 12 which has `an upwardly turned ear 12a at its outer end. A screw 13 extends lthrough each ear 12a and is threaded into the `associated retaining plate 6.

3,108,508 Patented Oct. 29, 1963 ICC Therefore, when screw 13 is threaded inwardly, wedge 12 will be moved inwardly to urge pinch plate 10 toward the associated group of slides S thereby urging the group of slides against the associated spacing plate 8 and firmly into engagement wit-h one another. Slides 5 therefore will be locked by friction against longitudinal movement.

If there are a number of like parts to be pierced by punch 4, the toolrnaker will lay out and drill a hole 14a of the proper size in one of the parts 14 (FIG. 3). This part will be used as la template. Screws 13 will be loosened and slides 5 will be moved outwardly to make room for placement of template 14 on die plate 1. Next, a locating pin 15, the size of the hole in template 14, is inserted in said hole Aand ythe template is then located on die plate 1 by insertion of the downwardly extending end of the pin in bushing 3. After location -of template 14 on die plate 1, Islides 5 are all moved inwardly as shown in FIG. 2 until they engage the perimeter of template 14 or are blocked from further movement lby engagement with other of the slides extending at right angles from the adjacent arms of plate 1. After slides 5 yare in inwardly adjusted position they will be secured by wedge plates 12 as heretofore described. After this, template 14 and locating pin 15 will be removed. Thus the inner ends of slides 5 form a nest which will `accurately loc-ate parts corresponding to template 14 for piercing by punch 4.

It will be noted that repeated placement and removal of parts in a nest of `a conventional die will eventually wear the edges of the nest so that it will no longer accurately locate the parts. Obviously, this will necessitate replacement of the die. However, if the ends of slides 5 comprising the nest of the present invention were to wear, it would only be necessary to readjust slides 5 by use of template 14 which would be kept `available yfor such use.

The die, as disclosed, includes four groups of nest forming slides 5 mounted respectively on the farms of a cross-shaped die plate. Obviously the die plate may be of a different shape and la idifferent number of groups of slides may be used or the slides need not necessarily be in groups. Furthermore, it has :been found that the invention comprising the nest forming slides is equally operable to -form -a nest for locating yblanks on a drill press for piercing by a drill. Accordingly, it is obvious that the pant-icular tool which is used to pierce the blanks does not inlluence nor alter the operation of the nest ifonming slides. The invention therefore is to be restricted only as necessitated by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of forming a nest on a die plate for a plurality of like blanks to be pierced by a punch, comprising the steps of providing a template corresponding to said blanks, providing said template with an opening corresponding to the openings to be made in said blanks by said punch, locating said template on said die plate with its opening aligned with said punch, moving a plurality of adjustable nest formi-ng members inwardly on said die plate into engagement with the perimeter of said template, securing said members in inwardly adjusted posi-tion, and removing said template.

2. The method of forming a nest on a base plate for a plurality of like blanks to be pierced by a tool, comprising the steps of providing a template corresponding to said blanks, providing said template with an opening corresponding to the openings to be made in said blanks, loeating said template on said base plate with its opening aligned with said tool, moving a plurality of adjustable nest forming members inwardly on said base plate into engagement with the perimeter of said template, securing 3 said members in inwardly adjusted position, and removing said template.

3. In a punch press including a punch and a die plate; means for providing a nest on `said die plate for a number of like blanks to be pierced by said punch, comprising a template corresponding to lsaid blanks, means for locating said template on said die plate in the position in which a blank would be nested for piercing by said punch, a layer of nest forming slides of substantially greater length than width on said die plate arranged in a plurality of groups and extending inwardly from the perimeter of said die plate, the slides of each group being in parallel longitudinal sliding contact with the adjacen-t `slides of said group and longitudinally aligned with the Aslides of an opposed one of said groups, said slides being adjustable outwardly to provide space for location of said template and thereafter adjustable inwardly to engage their inner ends with the perimeter of said template, a retaining plate extending transversely above the slides of each group, a spacing plate between each yend of each retaining plate and said die plate, a wedge between each group of slides and one of said spacing plates, and means for moving each wedge inwardly to urge the slides of the associated group laterally with respect to one another to secure said slides in inwardly adjusted position.

4. In a press including a piercing tool and a base plate; means for providing a nest on said plate for a number of like blanks to be pierced by said tool, comprising a template corresponding to said blanks, means for locating said template on said plate in the position in which -a blank would be nested for piercing by said tool, a layer of nest forming slides of substantially -greater length than width extending inwardly on said plate from the periphery thereof, means for retaining said slides on said plate in a plurality of peripherally spaced groups, said slides being in parallel longitudinal sliding contact with the adjacent lslides of the same group and adjustable outwardly to provide space for location of said template and thereafter adjustable inwardly to engage their -inner ends with the perimeter of said located template, and means for securing said members in inwardly adjusted position with their inner ends providing a ne-st for said blanks.

5. In a press including a piercing tool and a base plate; means for providing a nest on said plate for a number of like blanks to be pierced by said tool, comprising a template corresponding to said blanks, means for locating said template on said plate in the position in which a blank would be nested for piercing by said tool, a layer of nest forming slides of substantially Igreater length than width extending inwardly on said plate from the periphery thereof, means for retaining said slides on said plate in a plurality of groups arranged in opposed pairs at opposite sides of said plate with the slides of one opposed pair perpendicular to the slides of another opposed pair, said slides being in parallel longitudinally sliding contact with the adjacent slides of the same group and adjustable outwardly to provide space for location of said template and thereafter adjustable inwardly to engage their inner ends with the perimeter of said template, and means for securing said slides in inwardly adjusted position with their inner ends providing a nest for said blanks.

6. `In a punch press including a punch and a die plate; means for providing a nest on said die plate for a number of like blanks to be pierced by said punch, comprising a template corresponding to said blanks and having a hole in a location thereon corresponding to the location of the area on saidblanks to be pierced, means for locating said template on said die plate with its opening in registration with 4the die opening of said plate, a `layer 0f nest forming slides of substantially greater length than width extending inwardly on said die plate from the periphery thereof, means for retaining said slides on said plate in a plurality of peripherally spaced groups, said slides being in parallel Vlongitudinal sliding contact with the adjacent slides of the same group and adjustable outwardly to provide space for location of said template and thereafter adjustable inwardly to engage their inner ends with the perimeter of said located template, and means for securing said members in inwardly adjusted position with their inner ends providing a nest for said blanks.

7. The invention according to claim 6; said means for locating said template comprising a pin for insertion y through the opening in said template and into said die Great Britain Jan. 30,

reve. 

1. THE METHOD OF FORMING A NEST ON A DIE PLATE FOR A PLURALITY OF LIKE BLANKS TO BE PIERCED BY A PUNCH, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A TEMPLATE CORRESPONDING TO SAID BLANKS, PROVIDING SAID TEMPLATE WITH AN OPENING CORRESPONDING TO THE OPENINGS TO BE MADE IN SAID BLANKS BY SAID PUNCH, LOCATING SAID TEMPLATE ON SAID DIE PLATE WITH ITS OPENING ALIGNED WITH SAID PUNCH, MOVING A PLURALITY OF ADJUSTABLE NEST FORMING MEMBERS INWARDLY ON SAID DIE PLATE INTO THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PERIMETER OF SAID TEMPLATE, SECURING SAID MEMBERS IN INWARDLY ADJUSTED POSITION, AND REMOVING SAID TEMPLATE. 